DUSHANBE, October 6, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon yesterday attended an official commencement of construction of a gigantic new mosque in Dushanbe.

When completed in three or four years, Tajikistan will be home to the largest mosque in the post-Soviet area, dwarfing the Turkmenbashi mosque in neighboring Turkmenistan, which can hold 10,000 people.  The mosque in Dushanbe will hold 115,000 worshippers when completed.

According to the presidential press service, a total cost of the project is 100 million U.S. dollars and Tajik government’s contribution to the project amounts to 30 million U.S. dollars.  Tajik construction company, Somon Sokhtmon, is constructing the mosque.  Some 1,000 local builders are expected to be involved in construction of the mosque.          

The mosque will include four 65-meter tall minarets, a dome that measures 47 meters in height and one large prayer hall and one small prayer hall.  There will also be a museum, library and conference halls.

We will recall that one square block of stone was laid by President Emomali Rahmon in October 2009 to signal the start of construction.